Mom's fear for her kidneys might have been based on her experience with simultaneous episodes of nephritis that befell my four other siblings when they were all children (back in early 1960's). They were hospitalized after passing beef-broth-coloured urine. They were admitted to Montreal Children's Hospital for about a week or two and put on antibiotics. As I was a preteen at the time (and unaffected with the nephritis), I was not aware of all of the clinical details; however, I remember my mother being upset because no etiology for the sudden onset of "nephritis" was determined. My mother severely mistrusted the staff and felt they were using my brothers and sister as "guinea pigs" because there was no immediate improvement and she had them discharged towards the end of the couple of weeks. We took care of them at home and kept them on bedrest. I don't remember if fluids were restricted, but I do remember carrying each of them their lunch of soup and sandwich on a tray. My grandmother helped us. In addition, my dad had a history of chronic kidney stones (however fluids should have been pushed). My mom didn't have much education albeit being a bookkeeper (she was taught by a neighbouring college professor). She was always "first in her class" for the grades she did attend and was noted for helping the others, but never graduated high school (impoverished family in rural school setting), so she may have extrapolated the only medical knowlege she had received (nephrology clinical stuff). I used to argue with her about the fluid restriction, but she was adamant that she knew she felt better with less fluid in her. I think she thought she would swell otherwise. She had varicose veins and so would often have to put feet up to relieve that swelling. Her best friend died of pneumonia in hospital post-surgery, so Mom would hardly ever see a general practitioner, only near the end prior to her diagnosis with LBD on the urging of her brother and then the GP referred her to a neurologist. Her whole mental demise into LBD was such a shock as she had always been sooooo healthy and strong.

_________________Dale[My dear, Mom, Beatrice, (born in 1929) was diagnosed with LBD in Dec 2006. She passed away peacefully on July 12, 2013 at Embassy Hall, Shannex, Quispamsis, N.B.]

Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:20 am

JeanneG

Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:07 pmPosts: 1039Location: Minnesota

Re: "Leaky Gut" as possible contributor to LBD?

mockturtle wrote:

So, let's say that my husband who was treated for many years for hypertension may have, untreated, died from a stroke in his 60's and never have developed dementia. In that sense, people are developing dementia because they are living longer than they would have without medical intervention.

Absolutely! We are no longer tied so much to survival of the fittest, but to survival of the ones with the best health insurance coverage.

On a different but related note, I read this in my current mystery novel tonight. The main character is a neurologist and he talks to his father (also a doctor) about a friend who has had a stroke. Dad says

Think about it. We go through our lives a blood clot away from total disability, a skipped heartbeat from dissolution. Keep that on your mind, you don't need a stroke to be paralyzed.

That resonnated with me. Yup, many of us are headed for dementia, if we live long enough. But dwelling on that could be crazy-making itself.

_________________Jeanne, 68 cared for husband Coy, 86. RBD for 30+ years; LDB since 2003, Coy at home, in early stage, until death in 2012

Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:31 am

LTCVT

Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:33 pmPosts: 3441Location: Vermont

Re: "Leaky Gut" as possible contributor to LBD?

This is why I am no longer afraid of contracting certain diseases or conditions - I do not want to live so long that macular degeneration or various dementia-causing illnesses diminish my quality of life. Not that I want to die in my early 60's mind you! Oh, if we could have a crystal ball! Lynn

_________________Lynn, daughter of 89 year old dad dx with possiblity of LBD, CBD, PSP, FTD, ALS, Vascular Dementia, AD, etc., died Nov. 30, 2010 after living in ALF for 18 months.

Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:20 am

edunbar

Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:46 pmPosts: 19

Re: "Leaky Gut" as possible contributor to LBD?

Have found it very interesting re "Leaky Gut"? My Dad, dx 2.5 years ago - had IBS - and my brother and I have had it - though we control it now with organic food and avoiding gluten as much as possible - and wheat products. Anyway, watched a really interesting documentary on autism - and perhaps I am way way way out in left field ... but... autism (along with dementia) has increased exponentially... autism used to occur in 1 in 1000 cases - newest stat is around 1 in 97... and same with LBD. They talked about drugs in this documentary - and that they a) kill the good bacteria in the gut and b) facilitate toxic bacteria and micro organisms (which serve the gut well) to traverse the natural barrier nature gave us between the body and the brain... Consequence? Scientists are now looking into this transfer of toxins or fungus or bacteria et cetera as causing (to use layman's terms) brain damage. It struck me... autism has some of the same symptoms as Lewy Body... cognition, lack of attention, ADHD, balance problems, walking problems, falls, language problems, and the need for 24 hour care re hygiene, food, supervision, et cetera.

Could a leaky gut and/or a combination of antibiotics, over the counter medications, and/or statins be responsible or contribute to autism? Dementia? LBD? What about MS? In other words, are these drugs solving immediate symptoms but facilitating brain damage down the road to whatever degree?

Just some thoughts - because I watched the documentary and then read this subject... and have a Dad with LBD... there were some interesting correlations...

Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:18 pm

LTCVT

Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:33 pmPosts: 3441Location: Vermont

Re: "Leaky Gut" as possible contributor to LBD?

Sounds like we watched the same show, and I was thinking just what you are. If neuro toxins are being produced because of imbalances in the intestines, and that may be causing autism (at least the kid in the documentary was in that situation), it seems like a reasonable place to do some research about dementia as well. I hope there will be research money spent to look into this. That show was fascinating, heartbreaking, but fascinating. Lynn

_________________Lynn, daughter of 89 year old dad dx with possiblity of LBD, CBD, PSP, FTD, ALS, Vascular Dementia, AD, etc., died Nov. 30, 2010 after living in ALF for 18 months.

Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:44 pm

edunbar

Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:46 pmPosts: 19

Re: "Leaky Gut" as possible contributor to LBD?

Hi Lynn,

Glad to hear that my thoughts are no so "out in left field". Now am wondering could LBD be "autism" - sort of an adult onset autism? Some may say it is a stretch - but my father was so unbelievably healthy and had excellent medical and dental care et cetera - and his body started to close down after he got cardio vascular disease and was put on all those drugs...

And Dad was always sensitive to drugs...and I know him mum had adverse reactions to drugs...after both of their surgeries they were "out of it a little" because of the anesthetics - and were also subjected to statins and several other drugs...

Why does autism have to be "child related" - maybe we have to get really creative to solve this problem - perhaps all neuro diseases are incredibly related... are the drugs that we take, over the counter or otherwise, facilitating toxins to get into our brains and/or facilitating the chemicals in our brains to not work properly?

And then we can even take a look at the hybridization of many of the grains we consume, and the chemicals in our food, our personal care products, et cetera. All the more reason, perhaps, for people to be as "organic" as possible - cannot cut out all chemicals by any means - but at least if we do it where we can - then we are slower to reach "saturation points"?

This has me thinking...

Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:10 pm

BayouCajun

Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:02 pmPosts: 386Location: East TN

Re: "Leaky Gut" as possible contributor to LBD?

â¦.thoughtsâ¦.

I have a step son with Autismâ¦he is 23â¦

I tried to get doctors to say I had MSâ¦.really hard tried Iâ¦.

damage to area of brain from whatever means seems to give similar resultsâ¦.

I am frustrated that there is so little cross linked infoâ¦.and a strict adherence to labels with no room for imaginationâ¦.

I need helpâ¦.I need it nowâ¦.

a twenty year study of something is a grand thing, and necesaryâ¦.

imagination todayâ¦.and some risky thinkingâ¦.could be a grand thing tooâ¦.

â¦..what good does it do to get a definite diagnosis the day before you dieâ¦.if you wasted years in limboâ¦speeding up the unknown process with stressâ¦.because of a rigid medical system that refused to exercise any imaginationâ¦refused to offer any hopeâ¦.just stressâ¦and refusalsâ¦.

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